I am more frosted at the Democrats for what they're doing to the Constitution vis-à-vis Miguel Estrada's than I am over the anti-war movement. Fox News reported that the GOP planned to call for a cloture vote on Estrada next week knowing they'd lose it. That would effectively amend the Constitution - illegally - to read that you need 60 votes instead of 51 to get a judicial nomination through.

Happily, it turns out the GOP isn't going to call such a vote. The offices of Senators Santorum and Hatch rang up my office on Friday, and said that the Fox story is not accurate. There will be no cloture vote. Hooray! If these Democrats want to filibuster the first Hispanic nominee to the D.C. Circuit Court, let them do it! I know they say there are new rules making a filibuster harder, but so what? And don't tell me that it's not "practical" anymore, because people have to go to the bathroom. That's nothing new.

Force them to get out there and filibuster this eminently qualified man, as rated unanimously by the American Bar Association. Miguel Estrada is just a name to us, but his life is being destroyed here. It's not because he's unqualified; it's because Democrats don't like how he might think. Read George Will's column. Chuck Schumer didn't bother to ask Estrada a single question. He claims not to know any less qualified judge, when in fact he knows less qualified judges who went to the Supreme Court! Just this week, President Bush pledged to stand by Estrada until he was sworn in. We know no other nominee has been asked to give nor should give opinions on issues that may come before the court. Their job is to apply the law, not to make law or let their opinions get in the way of rulings.

These senators have to back Bush and Estrada up. The Democrat attitude is, "We ran Washington for 40 years up until 1994, and Bush is illegitimate despite what the Constitution says about the Electoral College, so he has no right to appoint anyone." These people are treating the Constitution like toilet paper. Calling a cloture vote would overturn more than two centuries of Senate precedent and rewrite the constitutional definition of "advise and consent." We cannot allow that to happen. You have to care about this, folks!

These people aren't Democrats or liberals. They don't believe in the Constitution. They don't believe in individual rights, as affirmed in the 9th Amendment; in sharing power with the states, as described in the 10th Amendment; in free political speech protected in the 1st Amendment and shredded in campaign finance reform. They don't support the right to bear arms provided for in the 2nd Amendment. They don't respect private property rights protected by the 5th Amendment! If there's a blade of grass in the backyard, they call it "wetlands" and take it away! This assault must stop.

Listen to Rush...

(...react to the Fox News story, and reject the notion of a cloture vote by the GOP) (...demand Democrats be made to pay a price for shredding the Constitution)

Read More of Rush's Estrada Coverage (Rush On A Roll: Anatomy of a Smear) (Rush On A Roll: Want Estrada? Declare Linda Daschle DOA) (The Limbaugh Library: Ken Starr Tips Us Off on Estrada) (EIB A-B: Estrada Qualifications Blow Away Breyer and Ginsburg)

The Rats can filibluster Estrada till the cows come home. The nation will see that their obstructionist agenda is not in the best interest of the nation. We all want to see Estrada on the bench. In good time he will be, but lets not blow up in front of the nation.

I think a little patience from the GOP is just what the good doctor ordered.

I've heard Rush discuss this topic, and I agree completely. We need the Republican majority in both houses to have the balls to stand up for what is good for our great nation, both in this instance, as well as others.

For example, the GOP leaders weren't even making the Rats stay up through the night to filibuster Estrada. They actually gave them comfort through all this.

If they seek to derail the nomination of a well-qualified Hispanic man, based solely on the fact that he's a conservative, expose them as such, and make them work to maintain this.

It is a shame that even while Rush was reading this today, there was an article already on the web by Byron York on NRO saying that the Fox story was baseless and that the White House is even more involved than ever in getting Big E confirmed.

I know they say there are new rules making a filibuster harder, but so what? And don't tell me that it's not "practical" anymore, because people have to go to the bathroom. That's nothing new.

Force them to get out there and filibuster this eminently qualified man, as rated unanimously by the American Bar Association. Miguel Estrada is just a name to us, but his life is being destroyed here. It's not because he's unqualified; it's because Democrats don't like how he might think. Read George Will's column. Chuck Schumer didn't bother to ask Estrada a single question. He claims not to know any less qualified judge, when in fact he knows less qualified judges who went to the Supreme Court! Just this week, President Bush pledged to stand by Estrada until he was sworn in. We know no other nominee has been asked to give nor should give opinions on issues that may come before the court. Their job is to apply the law, not to make law or let their opinions get in the way of rulings.

I went to the Rush website and sure enough this is the Title -- looks to me like he had started writing the article and had to switch gears when he found out the Fox article was lacking in fact and didn't change the lead in.

Interesting how all of a sudden it ends up on here when the headline was debunked today!

Interesting that the story wasn't released on his web site until way after 6:30....

Make the rats filibuster 24 /7 I say as my opinion from day one. From what I read and hear things changed after the fox story and when Rush ran with it as his opener at 12 noon today and the first caller said go 24/7. Know what I mean?

Thanks for posting this, TLBSHOW. I heard Rush's show today and was hoping someone would post his take on this topic. I wonder how the Fox got the incorrect report about the cloture vote. Didn't check with Frist first?

26
posted on 02/28/2003 7:02:57 PM PST
by arasina
(If you stand for principle, it will stand for you.)

I agree! Unfortunately, Mr. Edwards is mine! I don't think he's interested in how we feel about it; in fact, he hasn't been seen on the floor since this started...odd, isn't it, since he's on the Judiciary Committee!

Hmmm. I think I got my articles mixed up. I think the article you linked to in the previous post was the one I meant the comment for---in reference to the fact that the 'pubs would let the 'rats go home at night, etc. to make the filibuster easier for them. Sorry!

You too, eh? Man, if I'm going to be that incensed about something, I AM BLOODY WELL GOING TO MEAN IT! And yes, that means that I WILL be speaking ill of the senator from wherever on the Sunday shows. And NO, he/she is NOT my 'Good Friend.'

Piffle on false courtesy.

Born too late, I was. Sometimes, I think my mind is better suited to a dueling era. Oh well. Too many novels in my impressionable youth.

Still...

Ted Kennedy. Rapiers at dawn. Have your second speak to mine. Your very existance is an insult to me.

simple if the rats win this the way they are trying kiss the constitution goodbye and anything that President Bush wants to get done the next 2 years let alone send the rats back to the stone age.

Since that would be the end result of a Gop cave we have nothing to lose to carry out and make and force the rats to a real Filibuster. There is more but I will freepmail you and the others that are sending me freepmail what that is. Rats are watching this site just like they do Rush and his show. No point playing all the cards in front of the democrats that are trash.

I honestly thought you had changed the headline because it didn't match the story and I was wrong.

This headline does not go with the story -- my sense is that Rush was going to do a real number on the Republican Senators based on the Fox Story by Major Garrett. I started to tear into that story last night as the 2nd paragraph was wrong not to mention the first one against Republicans. There was no vote to end debate and Republicans did not have a bad night.

Then I saw all the naysayers and decided not to waste my time. I had also heard last night that Garrett had taken quotes out of context, but no way was I going to say anything.

I actually agree with going 24/7 if things don't change -- in fact, I would like to see them do it a couple of days before the bombing starts.

What I would like to know is why some people are so quick to take a Fox story and declare it factual even if there are parts of it that were easily proven wrong? That includes Rush.

I wouldn't be so quick to let the GOP Senate off the hook. I am also relieved that they say they are going to fight to the end for Estrada, and I want to believe them. But the history of GOP courage is neither long nor proud, so I'm not putting my stick away just yet. Trent Lott could always be counted on to bend over for the Democrats, and and we'll soon see if Dr. Frist is made of sterner stuff. I'm still watching...

"Happily, it turns out the GOP isn't going to call such a vote. The offices of Senators Santorum and Hatch rang up my office on Friday, and said that the Fox story is not accurate. There will be no cloture vote. Hooray!"

Major Garrett wrote a hit piece on Republicans and it was not a trial balloon. Senator Frist doesn't operate that way -- he is above board and filled with integrity. He doesn't play the trial balloon game.

Rush was WRONG to have followed the Fox story without checking out facts and he admitted he was wrong after Hatch/Santorum's offices called. They are not caving, were never going to cave and that is the story.

Major Garrett did a disservice to the Senate Republicans and a lot of that story is still on the Fox site although the part about being a bad night to Republicans was changed. You don't take comments out of context and print them in a story when they could have a different meaning.

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